Portable golf shot analyzer and club selector

Abstract

An instrument and method for teaching and training individuals to achieve accuracy and efficiency in playing the game of golf. The instrument permits electronic reading and recording of atmospheric pressure, optical reading and manual recording of both the distance from the current ball position to the pin and the vertical distance of the current ball position above or below the pin, optical estimating and recording of the forward slope and the sideways slope as well as the manual estimating of turf conditions at the ball positions. The instrument also permits the user to manually estimate and record the most critical result of wind direction and velocity through a device which processes this information with a standardized methodology in conjunction with predetermined and recorded club trajectory information for the particular user to determine and display the pre-shot alignment of the particular user, and the post-shot position of the ball in relation to the pin.

We claim: 
     
       1. A portable golf shot analyzer and club selector, comprising: a) a housing having a front face having a multiplicity of actuator buttons;   b) said housing containing first, second and third programmable memories and a central processing unit electrically connected thereto, said first memory being preprogrammed with statistics concerning optimal distance travelled by a golf ball struck by various golf clubs as well as statistics concerning effects of (1) various ambient conditions, (2) various lies and (3) various rough conditions on ball trajectory and distance, said second memory being preprogrammed with statistics concerning actual performance of a particular user using their golf clubs, said third memory being programmed, during play, with current ambient conditions, current ball position on a golf course, current distance to pin, lie angles, rough condition;   c) a display in said housing electrically connected to said central processing unit and displaying inputted data as well as shotmaking instructions;   d) said actuator buttons being electrically connected to said central processing unit and including buttons allowing inputting of information into said central processing unit concerning current ambient conditions, current ball position, current lie angle, elevation with respect to said pin and rough conditions;   e) said central processing unit comparing contents of said first and second memories, analyzing data from said third memory and causing said display to display a preferred club selection as well as the predicted location of a golf ball with respect to said pin after being struck by said preferred club.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said ambient conditions include temperature, barometric pressure and humidity. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said actuator buttons include a keypad with ten buttons labeled with consecutive numbers 0-9. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said actuator buttons include a multiplicity of buttons arranged in a circular pattern, with each such button representing a particular angle of wind direction, a particular angle of lie or a particular angle toward said pin. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 4, wherein an "ENTER" button is provided on said front face within said circular pattern and may be pushed to enter data into said third memory which has been displayed by pushing one or more of said buttons in said circular pattern. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 1, wherein said housing contains a combined range-finder and elevation calculator including a focusing eyepiece and two spaced lenses optically connected thereto, a focusing dial surrounding said eyepiece being manipulated to determine range to said pin as well as elevation with respect thereto. 
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said eyepiece is mounted on a side face of said housing, said lenses being mounted on a further parallel side face. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 6, wherein said side face and further side face are perpendicular to said front face. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 6, wherein said further side face has a recess therein comprising an electrical receptacle detachably receiving a memory cartridge comprising a fourth programmable memory. 
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said fourth programmable memory is programmed with instructional program material. 
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 1, wherein said central processing unit is preprogrammed to cause selection of a said preferred club which will cause a said predicted location to be at least slightly beyond said pin.